Emily thought she would go to school to become a dance major...but we’re lucky that she instead decided to pursue a career as a licensed therapist and life coach! She currently lives in Kansas with her fiance and two dogs, and she has a knack for referencing pop culture and song lyrics (her decade spent as a radio DJ comes in handy there!)
Listen to this week's episode of The Creator Catalyst Podcast and check out the show notes below get all the details on Emily's amazing business as a licensed therapist and life coach, the differences between the two, what it was like to launch her business, and more!
Did you always know you wanted to become a therapist/coach?
An internship while she was in college turned into more than a decade spent as a radio DJ, where she continued to cultivate a love for the human mind and stories of others. She then decided to go back to school to study marriage and family therapy because her love for the subject had only grown over the course of her life.
What was the catalyst that led you to turn your passion into a business of your own?
Even when Emily went back to school to study marriage and family therapy, she always knew she wanted to be her own boss and to offer her expertise to clients on her own terms. She wanted the flexibility to shift, pivot, and form a culture that best suited her and her clients, and so that’s what she did!
I love that seeing a therapist and hiring a life coach is becoming so normalized and even popular! It’s obvious you’re passionate about what you do, so I would just love to hear (from your point of view) why both are so important and how they can impact your life!
“Never underestimate the power of talking to an unbiased third party”
Though it can be great to chat about feelings and situations with your go-to people like family and friends, their investment in you will taint their outlook. It’s important to have an unbiased third party to help you better see and understand the whole picture.
It’s also great to have this person to talk to in order to sift through all of the thoughts and emotions we have spinning around in our minds at any given time! There are times in our lives when we may feel like we’re confronted with a thick, dark forest. There’s no quick fix to get around it, you just have to get through it to be on your way. This is just like situations in our life we need to process or work through from start to finish. Having a coach or therapist is like having a guide to walk you through the forest, and can be incredibly helpful and make the entire experience much more safe and enjoyable.
Whether you’d like to work with a therapist or coach to work through a big event, learn tools to be a better communicator, feel better about yourself, gain self esteem and confidence, or really anything else...“whatever you need it to be, it’s there for you.”
What was the process of launching your business like? Did you start with the packages/offerings you have now? How did you build up hype, etc?
When starting her business, Emily brought in her knowledge from school, working with other therapists and coaches, experience with her own clients, and advice from others to determine what packages, pricing, and session lengths would provide the best experience.
As things change with technology, etc. she has been able to pivot and adjust her offerings to best suit the needs of her clients.
How have you found the most success in finding new clients for your services?
Word of mouth
Social media
Working with other professionals and getting referrals from them (Networking!)
What tips do you have for other service-based businesses looking for new clients?
Network with other businesses whose field/product/offering compliments yours
Be yourself!
What are some of the biggest roadblocks you’ve come across as you’ve created and grown your business, and how have you overcome them?
Self doubt + comparison
Things she’s done to overcome these roadblocks:
Limiting time consuming social media. Focus on creating rather than consuming
Being more intentional about what accounts you follow. Be aware of how the accounts you follow make you feel and unfollow if necessary!
Meditation and grounding exercises
Journal
Remind yourself of what you have to offer the world
Let go of perfection. Focus instead on continuous improvement
Emily's top 3 book recommendations:
You are a Badass - Jen Sincero
Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert (anything by her!)
Catch Me If You Can - Frank Abagnale
If you could go back in time and give yourself advice when you were first getting started (on either business, or both!) what would it be?
“Ask for help! Hire a business coach or life coach and get your mind right. Stop trying to do everything on your own. Stay in your zone of genius and hire out what you can, when you can. Hire out what you can, when you can because you cannot do it all.”
Connect with Emily:
Instagram: @withemilystevens
Youtube: With Emily Stevens
Website: www.withemilystevens.com